Weekly Update: Montreal

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The New England Revolution (10-9-7, 37 pts.), currently riding a three-game unbeaten streak, hosts Eastern Conference co-leader Montreal Impact at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 8. Sunday’s kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., and Comcast SportsNet will televise the game while 98.5 The Sports Hub will carry the game on the radio.

This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season. The clubs will meet for the second time in Montreal on Saturday, Oct. 12.

The Revolution is currently tied for fifth in the Eastern Conference with the Houston Dynamo, and holds the conference’s final playoff spot by virtue of tie-breakers against the Dynamo. Montreal is one of three teams co-leading the Eastern Conference with 42 points, joining New York and Sporting Kansas City. A total of five points separate the top six teams in the East.

THIS WEEK’S HEADLINES

Celebrity Bartending Series returns Thursday

Four star Revs players – Kevin Alston, Darrius Barnes, Stephen McCarthy and Lee Nguyen – will step off of the pitch and behind the bar this Thursday, Sept. 5, to showcase their cocktail-shaking skills for charity ... the Revs’ mixologists-in-training will take their shot at bartending at RiRa (50 Exchange Terrace, Providence, R.I.) as they mix, pour and serve cocktails for fans ... all tips the players receive during the event, cash or credit, will be donated directly to the St. Baldrick's Foundation.

Sunday game this week, not Saturday

The Revolution will next host the Montreal Impact on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 7:30 p.m., at Gillette Stadium … this game, originally scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 7, will be played on a natural grass field laid for the Brazil-Portugal game on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

Three games unbeaten

The Revs enter Sunday’s game riding a three-game unbeaten streak … the Revs began the recent streak with a 2-0 win over Chicago on Aug. 17, and followed it with a 5-1 win over Philadelphia on Aug. 25 … on Friday night, the Revs claimed a 1-1 draw at Toronto.

MLS Insider: The Greatest Save

Goalkeeper Matt Reis makes saves for a living, but on April 15, he made the greatest save of his life … standing at the finish line of the Boston Marathon with his son and family while waiting for his wife, Nicole, to cross, Reis’ family was shocked by the bombings … his father-in-law, John Odom, was critically injured, and Reis helped save his life … check out the touching MLS Insider feature on the Reis/Odom story.

September means home cooking

The Revolution has four games scheduled in September, three of which will be played at Gillette Stadium … the schedule begins Sunday against Montreal, and follows on Sept. 21 against D.C. United and Sept. 28 against Houston Dynamo … the team’s lone road game will come on Sept. 14 at Chicago … this season, the Revs are 6-4-3 at home.

Rowe racking up the points

Kelyn Rowe enters Sunday’s game riding a three-game point-scoring streak, coinciding with the team’s three-game unbeaten run … in the last three games, Rowe has scored three goals and added one assist as the team has gone 2-0-1 … on Aug. 17, Rowe scored one goal in the 2-0 win over Chicago … on Aug. 25, Rowe scored twice in the team’s 5-1 win over Philly, earning both MLS player of the week recognition and MLS goal of the week honors for his second goal with run-away voting … Friday in Toronto, he recorded the lone assist on Diego Fagundez’s goal … on the season, Rowe has five goals and a team-high seven assists.

Rowe’s impressive sophomore campaign

Kelyn Rowe recorded an assist on Friday in Toronto, pushing the second-year midfielder to five goals and seven assists in 25 appearances … however, in all competitions – including three U.S. Open Cup games – Rowe has scored nine goals and added eight assists … as a rookie, Rowe recorded three goals and added five assists in 30 MLS appearances.

Fagundez firing away

Diego Fagundez has also been a key spark in the team’s three-game unbeaten run … in the last two games, Fagundez has scored two goals and added two assists … Fagundez, who leads the club with nine goals this season, has also recorded six assists … he is tied for eighth in MLS in goals scored, and ranked second in assists on the team.

Reis remains unbeaten in 2013

Matt Reis made his third straight start in goal for the Revs on Friday and his fifth overall on the season … with the draw at Toronto, the goalkeeper improved to 3-0-2 on the season with a 0.40 goals against average … after posting shutouts in his first three starts, Reis has allowed single goals in each of his last two starts … the last time Reis allowed more than one goal was Sept. 15, 2012, in a 2-1 loss at D.C.

Young guns get it done

While the Revs’ youth movement has been well-documented this season, the team’s three-game unbeaten run has demonstrated “the kids’” impact … since Aug. 17, players 23 years old or younger have scored all eight of the team’s goals and recorded six of the team’s eight assists … in that run, Kelyn Rowe (21 years old – three goals, one assist), Diego Fagundez (18 years old – two goals, two assists), Juan Agudelo (20 years old – three goals), Dimitry Imbongo (23 years old – two assists) and Scott Caldwell (22 years old – one assist) have played prominent roles … the only other players to record assists in that run were Chad Barrett (28 years old – one assist) and Chris Tierney (27 years old – one assist).

Is it even legal?

The team’s youth movement has been even more evident during the team’s three-game unbeaten run … three players 21 or younger have scored all eight of the team’s goals in their last three games … two players – who have combined to score five goals – aren’t even old enough to drink alcohol yet: Diego Fagundez (18) and Juan Agudelo (20) scored five goals, while Kelyn Rowe – who turned 21 in December – added the other three goals.

Defense remains dominant

With another solid defensive performance on Friday, the Revs remained the league’s top defense entering Week 28 … the Revs are first in goals against average (0.96) and are the only team with a GAA under 1.00 … the club is also first in shutouts (12), first in goals allowed (25) and fourth in save percentage (71.1).

Still playoff positioned

After last weekend’s results, the Revs still sit in the fifth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with eight games remaining … the Revolution has 37 points – 10 wins, nine losses, seven draws – and are tied for fifth with the Houston Dynamo (10-8-7) … however, as the Revs and Dynamo are tied with 10 wins (the first tie-breaker for playoff positioning), New England holds the second (goals scored) and third (goal differential) tie-breakers against Houston … in the tightly-packed East, the Revs are just five points out of first place (42 points by Montreal, Kansas City and New York), and two points out of fourth (39 points by Philly).

What lies ahead

Of the Revs’ eight remaining regular-season games, three come against teams currently sitting in a playoff spot … the Revs have two games against Eastern Conference co-leader Montreal (12-7-6, 42 pts.) and one against co-leader New York Red Bulls (12-9-6, 42 pts.) … the Revs also have one matchup left each against Houston, currently tied with the Revs on points for the fifth, and Chicago (10-10-5, 35 pts.), which sits just two points out of the fifth spot … the other four remaining games all come against team outside of the playoff picture with matches against Columbus (twice) and D.C.

Jamaican defender Woodbine added …

The Revs signed Jamaican outside back O’Brian Woodbine on a free transfer last Thursday ... a member of the Jamaica national team, Woodbine has been added to the team’s roster as an international player ... Woodbine, 25, has played professionally in his native Jamaica, the U.S., and Finland. He began his career in 2005 with Reno of the Jamaica National Premier League, and while with Reno, he spent two seasons (2009, 2010) on loan to the Charleston Battery of the USL-2 ... in 2011, Woodbine signed withVaasan Palloseura (VPS) of the Finnish Premier Division where he played for two seasons, including a brief three-month loan to perennial Finnish power, HJK Helsinki ... Woodbine has recorded 14 caps with the Jamaica National Team.

… And he’s called up to Jamaica

Newly-signed defender O’Brian Woodbine has been called up to represent Jamaica during the country’s upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Panama (Sept. 6, Panama City) and Costa Rica (Sept. 10 in Kingston) ... Woodbine, who signed with the Revs on Aug. 29, will miss the team’s match against Montreal on Sept. 8, and is expected to re-join the Revs at training on Thursday, Sept. 12 ... he has 14 appearances for Jamaica … he has started at left back in each of Jamaica’s last three FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, including his last appearance on June 12, 2013, in a 2-0 loss to Honduras.

Play, Eat, Score! With Revs, Papa Gino’s

All season, the Revolution and Papa Gino's will be giving away a prize package to New England soccer teams … the prize packages include: an appearance by a Revolution player at the team’s soccer practice, 50 Revolution tickets, 20 drawstring bags, 20 water bottles, 10 large Papa Gino’s pizzas and 20 Papa Gino’s small cheese pizza coupons … for a chance to win, simply explain WHY your team should have a Revolution player deliver the prize package to a practice … eight (8) winners will be selected throughout the season to win … enter HERE.

Sovereign | Santander’s “Goals for Charity” program in full swing

Sovereign | Santander, the official bank of the New England Revolution, has launched the “Goals for Charity” campaign to coincide with the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2013 and the second half of the Revolution season … in the program, Sovereign | Santander will contribute $500 for every goal scored during the Gold Cup 2013 and Revolution games between July 6 and October 17 (a total up to $50,000) to three Boston non-profit organizations: The Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, Cradles to Crayons and Camp Harborview.

THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT INFO

Revolution vs. Montreal Impact: 1-2-0Home: 0-1-0Away: 1-1-0

Team Notes against Montreal

Montreal, which entered MLS in 2012, leads the all-time series against the Revs, 2-1-0

Montreal won the only meeting at Gillette Stadium – a 1-0 victory on Aug. 12, 2012

The teams split the two meetings played at Stade Saputo last season … Montreal claimed the first-ever meeting between the two teams, 2-1, on July 18, 2012 … in the season finale for both clubs on Oct. 27, 2012, the Revs claimed a 1-0 win

Player Notes against Montreal

Lee Nguyen is one of two players to score a goal against Montreal … he had the Revs’ lone goal against the Impact on July 18, 2012, in a 2-1 loss at Stade Saputo

A.J. Soares capped the 2012 season with an 88th-minute goal at Montreal on Oct. 27, 2012 to secure the 1-0 win on the road

Matt Reis is 0-2-0 with a 1.50 goals against average and three saves against Montreal

Bobby Shuttleworth is 1-0-0 – his win coming by shutout – against Montreal

Five players have started all three previous meetings against Montreal: Kevin Alston, Ryan Guy, Clyde Simms, A.J. Soares and Chris Tierney ... Kelyn Rowe has appeared in all three previous meetings.

YOUTH TEAMS UPDATE

Older teams kick off 2013-14 season this weekend

The Under-18 and Under-16 Revolution teams kick off the 2013-14 season this weekend when they travel to face BW Gottschee Academy at Aviator Sports & Recreation Complex in Brooklyn, N.Y. … the U18s are coming off their best-ever season, securing a seventh-place finish nationally after a trip to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Finals Week in July.

Under-14s wait one more week to start Academy season

The Under-14s – playing their first-ever season in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy – kick off their 2013-14 season next weekend against BSC CT Academy (formerly South Central Premier) … the U18s, U16s and U14s will all face BSC CT on Saturday, Sept. 14, at Gillette Stadium … new to the Development Academy this year, the U14s have their own competition format (from U.S. Soccer):

Season structure: The U14 age group is focused strictly on development and does not incorporate standings or a postseason format. The fall season begins on the weekend of Sept. 7-8 and features teams in three different conferences and eight divisions The 2013-14 season also includes a winter futsal stage, spring period and various regional and national events.

Game rules: International rules will be followed, including no reentry on substitutions. Games consist of two 40-minute halves.